Clarinet pad control



Sept. 10, 1940. M. A. STOVER CLARINET PAD CONTROL Filed Feb. 25, 1939 mwmr o I I.

IN\ ENTOR. Murr'a A.S(over-.

Patented Sept. 10, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to musical instruments.

The general object of the invention is to provide an improved control means for musical instruments such as a clarinet.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a novel fingering apparatus for musical instruments such as the clarinet.

Another object of the invention is to provide a musical instrument including tone controlled means and means for operating the tone control means and wherein the operating means when moved performs an additional function.

Other objects and the advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a clarinet embodying the features of my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation of the upper section of the clarinet shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 33, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4.- is a section taken on line 44, Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5--5, Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is. an end view of the upper section shown in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section taken on line ll', Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing by reference characters I have indicated a clarinet embodying the features of my invention generally at H). The clarinet i3 is of a standard type and includes the usual mouthpiece l2, barrel l3, upper section 24, lower section l5 and bell l6.

My invention concerns the fingering of some of the levers in the upper section M which is shown in Fig. 2 disengaged from the various other sections of the clarinet.

As shown the section M includes the usual shafts II and i8 rotatably supported by hearing posts 59. The shaft H has the usual D tone ring 29 and pad 24 thereon and the shaft l8 has the usual E tone ring 22 and pad 23 thereon.

The section M further includes the usual lever 2 3 and pad 25 for producing the A tone and the F tone ring 25 which is secured to a rocker shaft 27 supported by posts 28. The shaft 21 has the usual arm 29 thereon which extends towards the pad 23 and underlies the usual extension arm 30 from the pad 23. Thus when the ring 26 is depressed the pad 23 is depressed through the medium of the arms 29 and 3E]. The Gii tone pad 3i has the usual arm 32 which overlies the key lever 24 and connects it to the key lever 33. Thus when the key lever 24 is rocked to open the pad 25 it raises the arm 32 and opens the pad 3|.

The B flat pad 34 is operated by a lever 35 pivoted as at 36 and has a finger key 3'! thereon. The Fit tone pad 38 is operated by a lever 39 pivoted as at Ml and has a finger key ii thereon. The Eb tone pad 32 is operated by a lever 43 5 pivoted as at 44 and has a finger key 45 thereon.

Above the shaft I! I provide a shaft 45 which is supported by the bearing posts l9 and a bearing post 11. Adjacent the pad 25 I provide an arm 48 on the shaft 45, the free end 49 of which is positioned below the key lever 24 (see Fig. 3).

Adjacent the arms 29 and 30 I provide an arm 58 on the shaft 46 which bridges the lever 35 and extends downwardly at one side of the arms 29 and 30 to within a predetermined distance above the arm 29 (see Fig. 5). Below the end of the arm 50 I provide a boss 5| on the arm 29.

Adjacent the pad 38 I provide an arm 52 on the lever 35 which extends over the lever 35 and is spaced a predetermined distance thereabove as clearly shown in Fig. 4. The distance the arm 52 is positioned above the lever 39 is such that the key M may be depressed sufficiently to open the pad 38 but upon further movement the lever 39 will engage the arm 52 and raise the lever 35 to open the pad 34 to produce the note Bb.

Near the end of the shaft 46 and adjacent the keys 3! and 45 I provide an arm 53 which extends to a position under the key 4! where it includes a finger portion 54 which extends outwardly beneath the lever 39 and is spaced 9. predetermined distance below the key 4! and the lever 39. The distance the finger 5 3 is positioned below the key il and the lever 39 is such that the keys H and 45 may be depressed sufficiently to open their respective pads 38 and 12 without moving the finger. But upon further depression either the key 4| or the key 45 or both will move the finger 54 downwardly which in turn through the medium of the arm 53 will rock the shaft 43 to cause the arm 48 to move upwardly and the arm 5!] downwardly. When the arm 48 moves upwardly it raises the A tone pad 25. The previously described second .downward movement of the lever 39 also opens the pad 25 by moving the finger 54 and arm 53 downwardly thereby rocking the shaft 46 which in turn actuates the arm 48.

When the thumb depresses the ring 26 the boss 5| contacts the arm 50 and prevents rotation of the shaft 46. Although the shaft 45 is prevented from rotating the keys ll and 45 may be depressed until they engage the finger 5 2- thus allowing the normal fingering of the notes Eb and Fit.

Adjacent the key M I provide a depending arm SOT 55 on the lever 39 having an angularly bent finger portion 56 which extends transversely below the lever 43 (see Fig. 7). The distance the finger 56 is positioned below the lever '33 is such that the key 45 may be depressed sufficiently to open the pad 52 without contacting the finger 56. But upon further depression the key 45 will move the finger 56 and arm 55 downwardly which in turn rocks the lever 39 to open the pad 38.

With the ordinary method of fingering the note A is made by pressing the key 24 with the first finger of the left hand. Therefore when note A is preceded by one requiring the use of the same finger upon the ring 22 it is necessary for the finger to make a rolling or sliding movement which is diflicult to do in rapid passages. With my device it is possible to make the note A by pressing the key & with the first finger of the right hand which makes the execution of the above described passages quite simple.

With the ordinary method of fingering the note Bb is made by pressing the key 24 with the first finger and the register key with the thumb which is difficult. With my device it is possible to produce the note Bb by pressing the keys 4i and 55 with the first finger of the right hand which greatly simplifies the fingering of many passages.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I have provided a musical instrument wherein the construction is simple and positive in action and requires no additional keys, pads or springs but only one additional moving element and therefore it is easy to adjust and not liable to get out of order.

A feature of my device resides in the fact that it has great advantage not merely in extreme and unusual instances which seldom occur in playing, but in many instances and passages such as are often encountered in ordinary playing and the player, due to the fact that nothing has been added to the instrument to get in the way of his fingers, is practically unaware of the addition and moreover the ordinary fingering is not altered and further all tones are perfect in intonation and in tone quality which is not always the case when special fingering is resorted to With the former type of instrument.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. In a clarinet of the Boehm type including Eb and Ft keys movable from a first normal position to a second position and from the second position to a third position, said keys being operable to produce the notes Eb and Ft when the respective keys are moved from the first normal position to the second position, said clarinet including elements operable to produce the notes A and Bb, and movably mounted members on the clarinet and disposed in the path of movement of the Eb and Ft keys and engageable upon movement of the Eb and Ft keys when moved to the third position to cause said elements to produce the notes A and Bb.

2. In a clarinet of the Boehm type including Eb and Fit keys movable from a first normal position to a second position and from the second position to a third position, said keys being operable to produce the notes Eb and Ft when the respective keys are moved from the first normal position to the second position, said clarinet including elements operable to produce the notes A and Bb, and movably mounted members on the clarinet and disposed in the path of movement of the Eb and Ft keys and engageable upon movement of the Eb and Ft keys when moved to the third position to cause said elements toproduce the notes A and Bb, and a finger controlled member on the clarinet to normally prevent movement of the keys from the second tothe third position.

MURRAY A. STOVER. 

